Fighting the Fear of Falling: Keep Your Muscles Strong

So you’ve seen your physician and revamped your home. Finally, the most important step when it comes to fall prevention is to make sure you use it, don’t lose it.

Keeping your leg muscles strong and having good balance helps to prevent falls. As we age, our lives become less vigorous, and our muscles and bones begin to lose strength. When we don’t use our muscles for prolonged periods, they stop working the way we want them to. If for years you’ve been relatively inactive, with walking as your main form of activity, you won’t suddenly be able to rush across the street to avoid traffic. It’s been too long since your legs have been challenged, since they’ve been put under any pressure; they might not be there for you anymore and you could end up falling. Resistance exercises to strengthen your lower body are necessary to make sure your body will be there for you when you need it.
Additionally, poor balance contributes to the risk of falling, and there are plenty of simple exercises you can complete to help reduce that risk.

If you’re wondering what kind of shape you’re in, there are a couple of tests you can give yourself. To test the strength of your legs, sit down in a chair. If you can’t get up without using your hands, you are at a greater risk of falling. To test your balance, stand next to a counter you can easily grab onto. See how long you can stand on one foot without touching the counter for balance. If you can’t stand on one foot for 10 seconds, you have an increased risk of falling.

The good news is, there are plenty of exercises you can do to strengthen your lower body and improve your
balance. Weight training at the gym will strengthen your legs, and yoga and tai chi are great for balance. Here are some other exercises you can do from home; try to complete them every day for the best results.

Hamstring Curls

Hold on to a sturdy chair or grab bar. Stand up tall
with your eyes forward. Keeping your knees shoulder width apart, bend one knee
so that your heel comes up towards your back. If this is difficult, only lift
your foot up as high as you are comfortable with. Start with a few repetitions
and progress to 10 repetitions three times a day.

Step-ups

Stand facing a step or low bench. Lift one leg up
onto the step and, while holding that position, lift your other leg up until
you are standing on the step with your legs shoulder width apart. Lower your
legs back down to the floor, first with the leading leg, then with the second.
Start with a few repetitions and progress to ten repetitions three times per
day.

Heel-to-Toe Walking

While holding onto a counter or rail for balance,
walk while placing the heel of one foot directly in front of the toe of the
other. As you become more advanced, you can do this exercise while just gently
touching the counter.

Leg Extensions

While sitting up straight in a supportive chair,
slowly straighten out your leg and lower it back down. Work towards holding
your leg out for 10 seconds while breathing normally. Start with a few
repetitions and progress to 10 repetitions three times per day.

While a fear of falling is common among older adults, it’s doesn’t have to be debilitating. By keeping up with your doctor’s appointments, paying close attention to your environment and keeping your lower body strong, you can continue to have an active and fulfilling life well into your retirement years.